The film tells the story of a canoe trip down the Cahulawassee River[?] in Northern Georgia that becomes a primitive nightmare that will leave one man dead--and three men changed forever. In a moment of horror, the harmless adventure of four middle class, respectable southern men becomes a struggle for survival as one man becomes a human hunter who is offered his own harrowing deliverance.

The movie was was directed by John Boorman[?]. Adapted by James Dickey from his 1970 novel, one that in 2001 was named as one of the 100 best English-language novels of the 20th century, as chosen by the editorial board of the Modern Library.